Lock protecting assembly

ABSTRACT

A LOCKING ASSEMBLY INCORPORATING A PADLOCK WHEREIN THE LATTER IS HOUSED WITHIN A RIGID, PROTECTIVE ENCLOSURE WHEN THE ASSEMBLY IS LOCKED. A RIGID TONGUE IS CONFIGURED TO PASS THROUGH AN OPENING IN A WALL OF THE ENCLOSURE AND THE PADLOCK SHACKLE WHEN THE PADLOCK IS OPEN, BUT TO BE RETAINED BETWEEN THE SHACKLE AND THE PADLOCK BODY WHEN THE PADLOCK IS CLOSED, THEREBY RETAINING THE PADLOCK WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE AND DENYING UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO THE SHACKLE.

Sept. 20, 1971 w. P. MCCARTHY 3,606,423

LOCK PROTECTING ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 19, 1969 ,4 TT RNEY5.

United States Patent 3,606,423 LOCK PROTECTING ASSEMBLY William P. McCarthy, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Ridgewood Instrument Company, Kansas City, Mo. Filed Dec. 19, 1969, Ser. No. 886,682 Int. Cl. E0511 67/38; Ec 1/04 US. Cl. 292148 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a locking assembly which utilizes a conventional padlock as an important component thereof, yet which is constructed so as to preclude tampering with the padlock and thereby prohibit unauthorized access to the article to which the assembly is attached.

Many articles, such as toolboxes or the like, are provided with conventional hasp and staple units for conveniently securing the closed lid of the toolbox to the lower section thereof. The shackle of a conventional padlock may be placed through the staple after the hasp is in place in order to provide means for locking the toolbox. However, in some instances, this manner of protecting valuable tools and the like which may be stored within the box may not be entirely adequate. This is primarily due to the fact that the padlock, although securely fastened to the staple, is nonetheless disposed in a relatively vulnerable location on the exterior of the toolbox, thereby inviting attempts to break the padlock or otherwise render it inoperable.

Conventional padlocks have been strengthened by the addition of features such as laminated body construction and hardened exterior components, as well as various internal improvements. However, in spite of these improve ments, unauthorized access or entry has often been accomplished by the application of excessive tensile force between the shackle and padlock body whereby to break the shackle or interior locking components. This problem could be eliminated if means were provided for denying access to the shackle.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a locking assembly for toolboxes, doors or the like which eliminates unauthorized access problems by housing the normally vulnerable padlock within a strong protective enclosure when the assembly is locked, leaving access only to the key-receiving components of the padlock.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a locking assembly as aforesaid having components which may be simply and easily constructed in any particular size to accommodate the padlock of a corresponding size without detracting from the protective qualities of the assembly.

Other objects of the invention -will be made clear or become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a toolbox utilizing a lock protecting assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, front perspective view illustrating the relationship between the padlock enclosure and rigid tongue of the assembly prior to closure thereof;

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FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front elevational view of the toolbox and locking assembly of FIG. 1, parts of the enclosure being broken away and shown in cross section for clarity; and

.FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional views taken along lines 4-4 and 5-5 of FIG. 3, respectively.

The box 10 of FIG. 1, having a swingable lid 12 and a bottom section 14, illustrates but one use to which the assembly 16 of the present invention may be applied. Assembly 16 takes the place of conventional hasp and staple units which are commonly found on articles such as the toolbox 10 and comprises a rigid enclosure 18 for receiving the padlock 20 and a rigid, elongated tongue 22.

The enclosure 18, which is preferably constructed of case-hardened steel, is generally tubular in configuration having a top wall 24, a bottom wall '26, and a pair of sidewalls 28. The front end of enclosure 18 is open to present a path within the enclosure for the padlock 20 defined by the walls 24-28, the rear end of enclosure 18 being closed by rear wall 30. A transverse locating groove 32 formed in the interior rear wall 30' is disposed generally centrally of the latter in alignment to receive the bight of the padlock shackle 34 when padlock 20 is located Within enclosure .18. An aperture 36 formed in top wall 24 presents a second path which intersects with the aforementioned first path within enclosure 18, thereby providing clearance for the tongue 22 when the assembly 16 is in use.

The tongue 22 chosen for illustration is especially adapted for mounting on the toolbox lid 12, although it Will become clear that Various other configurations of tongues may be adopted, depending upon the particular job for which the assembly is to be used. In this respect, the tongue 22 is formed in three sections presenting a flat section 38 which may 'be Welded or otherwise secured to lid 12, an intermediate section 40 extending outwardly at an angle from section 38, and. a tip section 42 extending parallel to section 38. A notch 44 formed in tip section 42 is open to one side thereof and is partially defined .by foot structure 46 at the lowermost end of section 42.

With the tongue 22 rigidly secured to lid 12, the enclosure 18 should be located and welded on the bottom section 14 in a position which permits the tongue tip 42 to pass through the aperture 36 and dispose the notch 44 generally centrally of the enclosure interior when lid 12 is closed. Depending upon the size of foot 46, it may be advisable to provide an opening 48 in bottom wall 26 disposed in alignment with aperture 36. As will hereinafter become clear, the strength of assembly 16 depends to a large measure upon the size of foot 46 and, for this reason, the opening 48 in certain instances may not be necessary.

The assembly 16 is particularly simple to use. Before locking the toolbox 10 it is necessary to insert the padlock 20 within enclosure 18 while the tongue 22 is removed therefrom. During such initial insertion of padlock 20, the shackle 34 should be out of locking engagement with body 50 and may be aligned with aperture 36 for reception of tongue 22 b inserting the same into groove 32. The walls 2428, and in particular bottom wall 26, cooperate with groove 32 in properly locating padlock 20. With padlock 20 in the unlocked condition, the tongue 22 may be inserted through aperture 36 with tip 42 projecting through the open shackle 34. Depending upon the particular size of foot 46, the latter may be cleared by the opening 48.

With padlock 20 and the components of assembly 16 in this position, the notch 44 should be in alignment with the padlock body 50 whereby, upon shifting of the latter inwardly toward rear wall 30, the shackle 34 is caused to become locked in engagement with body 50. Tongue 22 may not thereafter be removed from enclosure 18 since foot 46 now strikes body 50 when such removal is attempted. Therefore, tongue 22 may only be removed after opening padlock 20 by means of a key 52, at which time the shackle 34 will once again be spaced a sufi'icient distance from body 50 to clear foot 46.

It may be seen that the assembly 16 is particularly effective in preventing unauthorized entry to the toolbox since only a minimum portion of padlock 20 is unenclosed. This unenclosed portion is the bottom of the padlock body 50 which is the strongest component of padlock 20' in view of the laminated construction thereof. The shackle 34 is completely protected on all sides whereby to make destruction of padlock 20 extremely difiicult. It has been found that several different sizes and types of padlocks may be accommodated by an optimum size enclosure '18. Therefore, while it would be entirely possible to provide an enclosure for each particular size of padlock, this may not be necessary if the dimensions of the enclosure are carefully chosen.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A protective assembly for a padlock having a body and a shackle shiftable into and out of locking engagement with the body, said assembly comprising:

a tubular padlock enclosure having an open end defining a first path for receiving the padlock and an aperture formed in a wall of said enclosure and defining a second path intersecting said first path, said enclosure having a closed end having a groove formed therein for receiving the bight of said shackle when the padlock is within the enclosure;

a rigid tongue configured to pass through said aperture along said second .path and through the shackle when the padlock is disposed within the enclosure and the shackle is out of locking engagement with the body,

said tongue having blocking structure engageable with the body when the shackle is closed about the tongue in locking engagement with the body whereby to prohibit withdrawal of the tongue and retain the padlock within the enclosure; and

means within the enclosure for engaging the padlock and locating the shackle in alignment with said aperture, said locating means including said groove.

2. A protective assembly for a padlock having a body and a shackle shiftable into and out of locking engagement with the body, said assembly comprising:

a tubular padlock enclosure having an open end defining a first path for receiving the padlock and an aperture formed in a wall of said enclosure and defining a second path intersecting said first path; and

a rigid tongue configured to pass through said aperture along said second path and through the shackle when the padlock is disposed within the enclosure and the shackle is out of locking engagement with the body,

said tongue having blocking structure, said structure defining a portion of a notch formed in the tongue for receiving said body when the shackle is closed about the tongue in locking engagement with the body whereby to prohibit Withdrawal of the tongue and retain the padlock Within the enclosure.

3. A protective assembly for a padlock having a body and a shackle shiftable into and out of locking engagement with the body, said assembly comprising:

a tubular padlock enclosure having an open end defining a first path for receiving the padlock and an aperture formed in a wall of said enclosure and defining a second path intersecting said first path; and

a rigid tongue configured to pass through said aperture along said second path and through the shackle when the padlock is disposed within the enclosure and the shackle is out of locking engagement With the body,

said tongue having blocking structure engageable with the body when the shackle is closed about the tongue in locking engagement with the body whereby to prohibit withdrawal of the tongue and retain the padlock within the enclosure,

said enclosure having an opening therein opposed to said aperture and in alignment therewith for clearing the blocking structure when the tongue is held by the body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,099,869 11/1937 Stainbrook -180 2,584,575 2/ 1952 Goldwasser 292- 205 2,856,220 10/ 1958 Easley 292-148 2,912,271 11/1959 Schaefer 29'2-148X 3,334,933 8/ 1967 Ehlers '292148 ROBERT L. WOLFE, Primary Examiner U.S. c1. X.R. 

